Children running for children

Tee Seng Jian is nine years old. Armed with a cheeky grin and twinkling eyes, this young boy from Klang loves to play, eat and go to school. However, Seng Jian has another big passion: helping those in need around the world.

A boy of action, Seng Jian recently ran in the Batik Sarong Charity Fun Run through Run for Hope Global, an online fundraising platform for sports enthusiasts and athletes to give back.

Seng Jian’s aim was to raise RM1,000 in support of World Vision’s efforts to combat hunger around the world. “Mommy said that one out of eight people worldwide go hungry every day. I don’t want them to go to bed hungry, so I decided to run to help them,” he said.

The enthusiastic runner exceeded his target by nearly 200%, raising RM2,820 for hungry children all over the world. He was very happy to hear he had raised the amount, and said that he has always wanted to help people.

“I just didn’t know how to do it. But now I know,” he said, adding that no one is too young to make a difference in the lives of others.

Even as Seng Jian has finished his race, a fellow nine-year-old boy has picked up the baton, running for World Vision Malaysia’s work in child protection in our Tulid community development programme.

Duncan Chen, who will be taking part in the Harmoni Charity Run on 1 January next year, wanted to run for the children and women of Sabah after learning about several issues faced by the community there, among them the prevalent problems of alcoholism and abuse.

“Mummy, I want to help them! I want to run to help them,” Duncan told his mother. He will be running alongside Run for Hope Global co-founder, Kent Ong.

Ong, a marathoner and certified swimming coach, is hugely passionate about building up a new generation of people with a passion for sports and a heart for the less fortunate.

“As you can see through our logo (An adult’s shoe and children’s shoe), we hope to bridge the gap between adults and children, connecting two worlds that work together to help children in need,” he said.